Better forest management would not only prevent wildfires but could serve as a valuable water-conservation tool, according to a study published Tuesday.

California could save billions of gallons annually by undertaking significant forest thinning operations, according to scientists affiliated with the National Science Foundation and the Sierra Critical Zone Observatory.

“We’ve known for some time that managed forest fires are the only way to restore the majority of overstocked western forests and reduce the risk of catastrophic fires,” James Roche, a National Park Service hydrologist and lead author of the new study, said in a statement. “We can now add the potential benefit of increased water yield from these watersheds.”

Indeed, a variety of scientific studies published in the last decade argue fire-suppression efforts in California have had a detrimental impact. The typical argument says that fire occurred naturally for centuries, allowing the forest to thin itself out and provide periods of regeneration. With fewer fires, tree density has grown. Now, when fires do occur, they burn with an unnatural intensity that creates ecological and economic disasters.

Last year’s Thomas Fire was the largest by acreage in California’s history, while the spate of wildfires that ravaged Northern California last fall was the most economically disastrous. Tuesday’s study says thinning projects could also help conserve water, as trees require an enormous amount of water to carry out basic biological functions.